


Dandelions

by nimrodcracker



Series: a blinding flash [12]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Gen, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 01:57:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15474963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nimrodcracker/pseuds/nimrodcracker
Summary: Deacon and the Sole Survivor think about their fridged love interests in a flower garden.AKA Deacon tries to recruit the Sole Survivor for the Railroad.





	Dandelions

**Author's Note:**

> consider this AU within the _blinding flash_ universe. still, a nice contrast to my existing direction.

The last time Deacon set foot in Sanctuary Hills, he was on a mission. (Well, he currently was, but there wasn't drama in saying that, see.)

He wanted to discover why Institute activity had spiked in this isolated corner of the Commonwealth. Dez hadn't approved of his sortie at first, but after the reports and blurred photographs, he had her convinced - albeit grudgingly.

From then on, Project Wanderer was in full swing. Dodging Gen 1's and the rare Courser became daily occurrences, just so he could watch and wait for that elusive Vault Dweller to emerge.

Because if he'd gathered right, this fellow had plenty of reasons to blow the Institute sky-high - and that made him an ally. A potential one, but an ally nevertheless. The Railroad was in short supply of them these days.

That was two years ago.

Now, his mission was still incomplete. Sure, the Vault Dweller had passed on the occasional tip-off or Institute tech via dead drops, but he wasn't an ally yet. Just a tourist.

That was why Deacon had strayed far out of his usual turf, jeopardising HQ's security in the process. Glory was running another op for Carrington at this moment, so there wasn't any Railroad Heavy back at HQ. If the Brotherhood or the Institute came knocking… it'd be the Switchboard all over.

Trudging through Sanctuary Hill's darkened streets, it wasn't difficult to stay unnoticed. With his shades on and his trilby down, the settlers saw another trader heading for the common house. Not like there were much settlers about, anyway. Sun had barely risen past the mountains.

But not too early for Leo Ortiz, if Deacon's sources hadn't been tripping on chems.

Deacon softened his steps as his feet crossed into grass. He couldn't help but run his hands along the branches of a carrotflower bush, marvelling at how well the flowers grew. Everything in this garden felt and smelt fresh, a stark difference from the damp underground and deadness of aboveground. That was Leo in a nutshell - radiating positivity like a Glowing One without the rads, so full of life and energy. Fun guy to be around, honestly. As the Minuteman General, he was doing so much good for the settlers with his boy-next-door charm and earnestness. The perfect gentleman, Deacon thought, if not for his… unfortunate association with the Brotherhood.

Small garden it was, but Leo was nowhere to be found. Deacon stood by the fence and looked around, taking in the trimmed hedges and potted ferns (in the wasteland, really?) of varying heights, watching out for the mop of unruly coffee-coloured hair peeking through the greens. Sometimes, he left it messy and spiky. Other times, he swept those strands neatly under a newsboy cap.

Deacon paused when he saw dandelions. A cluster of them, dotting a hedge that was the farthest from him on his left. He craned his neck, only to see that it led deeper into a closed-off area hidden from his view.

That was when Deacon knew where to find him.

* * *

Where Deacon made haste before, he didn't now. Feet on the threshold of the grove, body locked by hesitation.

He'd found Leo clad in his usual jeans and teeshirt, sans the sleeves ripped from its seams. Big-built, filling up the space with his presence. Intimidating, but Deacon knew the man, past the tattooed arms and boxer's frame - the menacing look helped to keep up appearances.

What Deacon hadn't expected to find were graves, denoted by unadorned stone tablets sticking out from the grassy earth. Deacon's sources hadn't told him about  _that_.

The sun was already streaked with hues of pastel pink. "Leo?" Deacon prodded.

Leo jumped. "Shit! H-hey," he stammered, looking over his shoulder to search for the voice's owner. "Deacon. Yeah. Something I can help with?"

Leo was far from tense, Deacon realised. His posture wasn't stiff with defensiveness.

"Well, yeah," Deacon said. "Seems like a bad time, though. I'll head over to the bar for a cuppa in the meantime."

Leo's expression, already graced with a smile, softened further to reveal those Vault-Dweller pearly-whites. "Oh, not a bad time at all. Stick around. I was just wondering if she would've liked how the dandelions turned out."

_She?_  Deacon wondered, until his eyes flicked to the grave Leo towered over; a movement hidden behind black lenses.

> _Adrian Valenti_
> 
> _The bestest friend I could ask for._

Below a flower crown, the inscription was cut into the headstone, strong lines set in stone. But the stone itself still gleamed, somewhat - not as white as bone, yet not weathered enough to be called old. If Deacon had to guess, it was at least two months old.

Then again, his shades tended to darken things. He took off his hat and held it to his chest.

"I don't know if I've told you, but it's her favourite. I used to surprise her with flower crowns," Leo laughed, motioning to the dandelions on top of the headstone. "She'd frown when I place them on her head, but I know she loves it when I do that. She always tucks a stalk or two in her pocket, wherever she went."

Deacon didn't have to listen to realise how deeply Leo felt for this woman; seeing him was telling enough. Did Leo always spend his mornings by his beloved's side? Because that was endearingly romantic and completely in-character for him, too.

"Ah, the reluctant romantic. I know their type. Dez is one. Don't tell her I said that, though," Deacon chuckled, sitting on a nearby bench. Desdemona would probably strangle him if she ever found out. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but who's Adrian? I've only ever heard you talk about Ana."

"Oh." Leo grinned sheepishly at Deacon, burrowing his hands into his jeans pockets. "I guess I slipped. They're the same person, and Ana has  _loads_  of aliases. Ana's a nickname because Adrián's a bit hard to pronounce sometimes. Like, isn't it easier to be like, Ana? The magic of two syllables. And she didn't like me calling her  _cariño._  She's- was particular about that."

Deacon suppressed a flinch. Ana sounded too similar to Barbara. The resemblance picked on the ugly scab that he'd carefully covered layers of time and wilful ignorance.

"She never told me her real name, though. Settled on Ana. I wished I had. Just- didn't feel it important then. Do you…" Leo broke off with a drawn-out sigh. He hesitated for a bit, before ruffling his hair - not once, but twice. "God. I can't seem to get the words out."

Deacon couldn't help but commiserate with a sheepish grin. Brotherhood ties aside, him and Leo were actually more alike than he previously thought. That made them…

"If you wanna tell me about her, be my guest." Deacon's ass had been sore ever since that ill-timed sprint up a hill, when a whimsical thought had him spraining his butt muscles. So much for trying to outrun a bloatfly.

He grinned when Leo flashed him a grateful smile, the boisterous man reduced to a single glance. Ah,  _feelings._  They tended to do that, annoyingly.

"She would've joined up with the Railroad, you know. No hesitation. I'm positive she'd walk the Freedom Trail the moment she heard about you people, stopping only when she's inside your HQ. If you asked her why she wanted in, she would've probably mentioned rubbish about undercover agent kicks. I mean, she does enjoy it, really. Something about being insignificantly vital, as she used to tell me. In truth, it's 'cause she emphatises with synths, since they were just like her. Individuals struggling to be their own person, in search of something more."

"She would've seen through the Brotherhood's act in a heartbeat, you know. Realised the bigotry and fanaticism with one look and she'd ghost far,  _far_  away from it. I wonder how she'd feel about me joining up. Scandalised, maybe. Would've socked me hard enough to crack my jaw the next time we sparred, groaning about how impossibly hard it is not to notice their faults. I mean, it took Maxson commanding me to kill Danse before I knew I had to leave. How terrible is that?"

"But I know she'd be even prouder of me for walking away. She'd say that was all that matters." Leo blushed, coughing awkwardly. "After, uh. Kissing me, of course. She was a very physical person. Still, I miss her. I see her in Cait, in Piper. Even you. She's everywhere, and that makes me miss her even more."

Deacon tiptoed to wrap his arm around Leo's shoulder, pulling him close in some semblance of comfort. Leo hummed his thanks, patting Deacon's arm.

"How d'you do it, Deac? How do you live without your  _mi amor_? The someone who was the world to you?"

Deacon pursed his lips. It'd been years, but he didn't really have an answer. "Well, you don't. I don't know, you just do."

"Don't get me wrong, I knew it'd be hard. Just-" Leo sighed. "Not this hard."

"That's the whole point, right? It teaches you to value what you already have."

"Deacon, don't ever change okay? You always know what to say."

"Of course I do." Deacon let Leo go. "I'm the first human member in the Railroad's 'I lost a spouse' club. You're the second. Eh, well… third, actually. Anyway, you wanna help me set up a support group? Sure, we already hold unofficial meanings every week when Dez unlocks the liquor cabinet, but I think we could do with something official. I'm thinking tee shirts, badges, the whole she-bang. Maybe even a mascot."

"You forgot the cake!"

"That Mirelurk shit? Oh no. No way. I'm green-lighting the Mirelurk mascot, but not its edible version."

"Eh, you know what I mean." Leo walked out of the garden and Deacon trailed after him. "My answer's yes, if you're wondering."

Deacon smiled coyly, pretending not to understand. "Hmm?"

Leo scoffed. "Eh, you know what I meant, Deac." He plucked a dandelion from a nearby bush as they walked out, before tucking it in his chest pocket. "It's time to fight the power. Both of them."

"You read my mind, Leo."

"No, really." Leo paused at the doorway of his house, face all-business. "I'd love to set up that support group too."


End file.
